? EDITOR ’ S QUESTION //
“
THEY ARE OFTEN
WORKING WITH SMALLER TEAMS AND ON FAR TIGHTER BUDGETS , SO THEY SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO
GO WRONG .
I t ’ s understandable that SMEs are cautious or sceptical when it comes to adopting new technology . Business leaders are often set in their ways and have their own idea of how the job should be done . They are often working with smaller teams and on far tighter budgets , so they simply cannot afford for new technology solutions to go wrong . Naturally , there are temporary setbacks or constraints , but those SMEs that fail to evolve with the times and explore new ways of working will miss out in the long run .
In today ’ s business world , change is a near constant , but technology can help businesses adapt more quickly . Those SMEs that still rely upon paper trails , legacy systems or even a blend of new and old technologies will find it almost impossible to manage their legal risk effectively . Older systems do not communicate well with others and data is often poorly managed or misplaced throughout its lifecycle , which leads to operational inefficiency and possible revenue leakage . From a compliance point of view , this presents a huge risk to the organisation and the potential loss of future business .
“
THOSE SMES
THAT STILL RELY UPON PAPER TRAILS , LEGACY SYSTEMS OR EVEN A BLEND OF NEW AND OLD TECHNOLOGIES WILL FIND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE THEIR LEGAL RISK EFFECTIVELY .
Legacy systems are also far more susceptible to cybersecurity threats , system errors and crashes . Equally , the lack of updates or patches will mean that current software will likely no longer be kept up-to-date with the latest legislation and data regulations . Customers will also be reluctant to work with any business that is opposed to change or new ways of working . Therefore , it ’ s in business leaders ’ best interests to adopt new technology or at least review their current operational model and identify areas where it can be improved . Ultimately , it will drive new business leads and accelerate growth .
SMEs should first establish their digital maturity , that is , where they currently stand with regards to their Digital Transformation journey . By reviewing their operational model , they will be able to identify the processes that work well as well as areas of improvement , which will in turn , help them to better understand the technology and change that is needed . Most importantly , Digital Transformation is all about baby steps . All projects need to be communicated with teams in advance and rolled out in a phased manner , across one department at a time , to maximise uptake and minimise disruption .
RODOLPHE MALAGUTI , PRODUCT STRATEGY AND TRANSFORMATION , CONGA
22 intelligent
. tech
Intelligent SME . tech